FINAL: Fire 3-0 FGCU

CHICAGO, IL (Feb. 1, 2012) – The Chicago Fire used goals from Marco Pappa, Dominic Oduro and Orr Barouch to come away with a resounding 3-0 over Florida Gulf Coast University Wednesday night in Ave Maria, Fla. With the victory, the Fire move to 1-0-1 in their 2012 preseason campaign.

Similar to Sunday’s opening draw vs. D.C. United, Fire head coach Frank Klopas used the match for talent evaluation, deploying 30 players over three periods of 30 minutes each.

Klopas’ side came out at a furious pace, overloading their collegiate opponents in the attack before being rewarded for their efforts seven minutes in when Dominic Oduro played a leading ball for Federico Puppo down the left. The newly signed Uruguayan striker hit a low blast across the goal which FGCU keeper Nathan Ingram parried into the path of Marco Pappa before the Guatemalan midfielder buried the rebound to open his preseason account.

The Fire doubled the lead in the 21st minute as Pappa broke up a build-up out of midfield. Picking up the ball, the Guatemalan attacker drove towards goal, slotting Oduro around a defender before the speedy forward struck a low blast that the onrushing Ingram partially deflected before hitting the back of the net.

The second XI showed connectivity and good moments but didn’t break through until the end of their allotted time. Corben Bone’s driven corner kick from the left swung through the box before falling to the feet of Orr Barouch, where the Israeli youth international tapped home the third goal in the 60th minute from inside the six-yard-box.

Staying on for the final 30 minutes, Bone nearly added a goal when Victor Pineda made a dazzling run up the right to the end line before cutting back a pass to the top of the 18. Bone took a touch before hitting a low drive across the frame, just wide left of goal in the 71st minute.

The Fire continue preparations ahead of its 15th season when they take on Honduran side Real C.D. Espana at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans, La. on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 5:00 p.m. CT. Fans can follow the action live at www.twitter.com/ChiFireMatch.

The Fire host Opening Day at Toyota Park against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, March 24 at 7:30 PM CT. Chicago Fire Season Tickets are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473), via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at Chicago-Fire.com.

Notes:

Fire goalkeeper Jay Nolly played the full 90 minutes and allowed one goal in his preseason Fire debut.

Defenders Cory Gibbs and Gonzalo Segares sat out the match after taking knocks in the Fire’s 3-0 win over Florida Gulf Coast University Wednesday night in Ave Maria, Fla.

Signed players unavailable for selection Saturday evening were Logan Pause, who has stayed in Chicago with his wife following the couple’s first child, Sean Johnson, who’s resting after a long offseason of national team camps and training at Everton and Rafael Robayo, who continues to await his visa.

Pause and Johnson will rejoin the team on February 8 in Ventura, Calif., while Robayo is expected to meet his teammates for the first time at some point during the stay out west.